LG to cut greenhouse gas output by 4kg per handset

Green Tech LG is to use "eco-magnesium" in future mobile phones, ending the emission of some very nasty greenhouse gases in the process.

Eco-magnesium is an alloy of the metal. LG said that "practically no" sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) is released during its production - not the case with the magnesium alloy LG is currently using.

"The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) cites [SF6] as one of the most potent greenhouse gas ever encountered," LG added.

Shifting production from the current alloy to the greener alternative will take a year or so, with the former set to be eradicated by 2012. Doing so will reduce greenhouse gas emission by a factor of roughly 24,000 during the die casting process, LG claimed.

To put that into a more understandable context: that's the equivalent of 4kg less CO2 for every handset LG punches out. ®